Busta Rhymes scolds Essence Fest crowd for using phones: 'Put them weird-ass devices down'

"F--- them camera phones, too. Let’s get back to interacting like humans," the rapper told the audience.

Busta Rhymes isn't mincing words when it comes to phone use at his concerts.

The legendary rapper, 52, called fans out for sitting down and presumably being on their phones during his set at the 2024 Essence Festival of Culture on Friday, July 5. In video footage of the event, Busta (real name Trevor Smith) can be heard saying, "Ayo f--- them camera phones, too. Let’s get back to interacting like humans. Put them weird-ass devices down!”

The "Dangerous" rapper added, "I ain’t from that era. Them s---s don’t control the soul, f--- your phone!"

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At this point in the clip, Busta starts calling people out for sitting down, and tries to hype them up by telling them, "I will point every last one of y’all out until y’all asses is up! 33 years of doing this, and I ain’t used to n----s sitting down at my show. I don’t give a f---! All age groups get your ass up now."

The rapper then clarified why "there will be zero tolerance for bulls--- energy in here," telling the audience with a big smile, "because this is my first time in New Orleans at the f---ing 30-year anniversary of the Essence Fest... Make me feel like we home!"

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The Essence Festival of Culture, which is considered the largest annual celebration of Black culture in the country, ended Sunday after four days of music and conversation. In addition to Busta Rhymes, the fest featured performances from the likes of Janet Jackson, Usher, Charlie Wilson, SWV, The Roots, Victoria Monét, Teedra Moses, Tank and the Bangas, Dawn Richard, Jagged Edge, Bilal and Anthony Hamilton.

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